Use of services provided by the Office of the Ombuds is voluntary and confidential.

All conversations with the Office of the Ombuds are confidential and off the record. The Office does not create or maintain records for the University. Any notes taken during the course of a case are routinely destroyed on a quarterly basis once the Office determines the case is closed.

Communication to the Office does not constitute notice to the University. This includes allegations that may be perceived to be violations of laws, regulations or policies, such as sexual harassment, issues covered by the Whistleblower policy, or incidents subject to reporting under the Clery Act. Because the Ombuds does not function as part of the administration of the University nor as a "Campus security authority" as defined in the Cleary Act, even if the Ombuds becomes aware of such allegations, the Ombuds is not required to report it to the University or to law enforcement.

If you would like to put the University on notice regarding a specific situation, the Ombuds can provide you with information about how to do that. Please visit our Charter Agreement for more information about the role and practices of the Office.